This invention relates to a container and, more particularly, to a container for protecting an article within the interior volume of the container. The invention also relates to a panel for forming a container and, more particularly, to a panel for forming a three dimensional container.
It is generally considered well known to employ conventional bubble packaging material (i.e., bubble wrap) for packaging or shipping a wide variety of materials and products. Bubble wrap is manufactured by a calendared extrusion process in which two sheets of a material of similar thickness are laminated into a single sheet having a plurality of uniform air pockets. Bubble wrap cannot be molded to a specific shape because it is a flexible sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,534 discloses a folding printed circuit board transporter having a top, four sides, a bottom and a flap. In one embodiment, the transporter includes a structural outer layer having an outer surface held to an inner surface by a plurality of integral I-beam members. In other embodiments, the transporter also includes an inner layer of convoluted anti-static foam material, or an inner layer having a plurality of uniform open cells in a hexagonal pattern to provide cushioning and anti-static protection. The inner layer is adhered or glued to the inner surfaces of the transporter.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,627 discloses a package in which an article is placed on a plastic cushioning substrate and in which a second thermoplastic film is laminated to the cushioning substrate to enclose the article. The cushioning substrate is formed of a thin sheet of plastic material having a plurality of closely spaced uniform cellular protrusions formed therein. The cushioning substrate may have a recessed area to accept the article.
It is known to employ an inflatable device within a container to cushion an article therein. The inflatable device may use sheets of material (e.g., PVC) which are sonic or heat welded together around their perimeter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,157 discloses a carrying case for a microcomputer. The carrying case employs a pad including an elongated tubular-shaped membrane having a compressible fill. Alternatively, the pad may include a gas impermeable fabric envelope filled with air or other gas under pressure to insulate the microcomputer from severe mechanical shocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,780 discloses a case for carrying a portable computer. The case includes a shell defining an interior recess, a rigid base and a rigid lid mounted on top of the base by a hinge. A plurality of inflatable bladders are secured to the interior surfaces of the base and another bladder is secured to the lid. Insertion of the computer within the interior recess partially collapses one bladder which pressurizes other bladders to tightly engage the computer within the recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,876 discloses a remote controller bag which houses a remote controller. The transparent bag has a front entrance opening to a central cavity for the controller, a rear end wall, right side wall, left side wall, cavity floor, bottom wall and top wall. Two pneumatic chambers are mounted within the cavity adjacent to, contiguous with and coextensive with the respective right and left walls, and in communication with the cavity floor and the top wall. The bottom wall has plurality of ribs which project to the bottom surface of the cavity floor and define pneumatic columns therebetween.
Inflatable devices for containers generally require inflation and/or subsequent valving of air chambers. This adds cost and decreases reliability. Furthermore, if multiple air chambers are interconnected and if one air chamber fails, then all of the interconnected air chambers fail.
Cases for carrying computers are well known. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,010,988; 5,105,338; 5,160,001; and 5,524,754.
Although it is known to employ a cushioning material within a container for an interior article to provide either a linear or an exponential deceleration of the article upon an exterior impact of the container, further improvements are possible.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved, low cost container for carrying an article.
This invention provides a container which holds an article, such as a laptop computer or video device, therein. The container employs a unitary member comprising a generally rigid shell and a plurality of flexible membranes. The flexible membranes form a plurality of gas containing pockets between the flexible membranes and at least one of the interior surfaces of the generally rigid shell.
The container comprises a wall member; a front panel; and a rear panel generally parallel to and spaced apart from the front panel, with the front and rear panels connected about their peripheries to the wall member which extends between the front and rear panels, thereby defining a volume. The wall member has at least one of a top portion and a bottom portion. Each of at least one of the rear panel, the front panel and the wall member comprises a unitary member comprising a generally rigid shell, and a plurality of flexible membranes each of which has a periphery and a surface, with the periphery of each of the flexible membranes bonded to the generally rigid shell and the surface of each of the flexible membranes separated from the generally rigid shell to form a plurality of unbonded areas between the surfaces of the flexible membranes and the generally rigid shell, and gas contained within the unbonded areas, thereby forming a plurality of pockets between the flexible membranes and the generally rigid shell.
Each of the pockets may include a generally flat surface generally parallel to the generally rigid shell, and a generally arcuate surface having a first periphery connected to the generally flat surface and a second periphery bonded to the generally, rigid shell. The gas of each of the pockets may be independent from the gas of each of the other pockets. As another aspect of the invention, at least one of the pockets is interconnected with at least another one of the pockets.
A number of preferred refinements include a generally rigid shell having a first thickness and a flexible membrane having a second thickness which is substantially less than the first thickness. The generally flat surface may include at least one nipple disposed thereon. Also, a plurality of nipples may be employed, with a first nipple disposed on the generally flat surface and a second nipple disposed on the first nipple. Some of the pockets provide a non-linear and non-exponential deceleration of an article within the volume of the container.
Preferably, some of the pockets are employed at the interior corners of the container, with a first pocket at about the corner and a second pocket offset from the corner by a first distance. The first and second pockets include a generally flat surface generally parallel to and about a second distance from the generally rigid shell. The first distance is preferably about equal to the second distance in order to provide impact protection for an article at the corner of the container.
As another aspect of the invention, a container comprises a wall member; a front panel; a rear panel generally parallel to and spaced apart from the front panel, with the front and rear panels connected about their peripheries to the wall member which extends between the front and rear panels; and partition means fixed in position within the volume dividing the volume into a plurality of compartments. The wall member has at least one of a top portion and a bottom portion. Each of at least one of the rear panel, the front panel and the wall member comprises a generally rigid shell, a plurality of flexible membranes each of which has a periphery and a surface, with the periphery of each of the flexible membranes bonded to the generally rigid shell and the surface of each of the flexible membranes separated from the generally rigid shell to form a plurality of unbonded areas between the surfaces of the flexible membranes and the generally rigid shell, and gas contained within the unbonded areas, thereby forming a plurality of pockets between the flexible membranes and the generally rigid shell, with at least some of the pockets supporting the partition means.
The partition means may be a generally rigid panel. In a preferred refinement, the partition means may include a generally rigid panel, a second flexible membrane, and a plurality of pockets between the second flexible membrane and the generally rigid panel. In another preferred refinement, the partition means may include a generally rigid panel having two sides, a pair of flexible membranes, and pockets between the flexible membranes and the sides of the generally rigid panel. Some of the pockets of the rear panel, front panel and wall member may include at least one first gas pocket parallel to and separated from at least one second gas pocket to define a channel therebetween. The partition means may have a first side and an opposing second side, with the partition means resting in the channel, the first gas pocket engaging the first side of the partition means, and the second gas pocket engaging the second side of the partition means.
As a further aspect of the invention, a generally flat panel which is foldable to form a three dimensional container comprises a generally flat, generally rigid, unitary member comprising a plurality of portions each of which are connected to an adjacent one of the portions along a folding line, a plurality of flexible membranes each of which has a periphery and a surface, the periphery of the flexible membranes bonded to at least one of the portions and the surface of the flexible membranes separated from such at least one of the portions to form a plurality of unbonded areas between the surfaces of the flexible membranes and such at least one of the portions, and gas contained within the unbonded areas, thereby forming a plurality of pockets between the flexible membranes and the generally flat, generally rigid, unitary member.
As a preferred refinement, the generally flat, generally rigid, unitary member may have a plurality of grooves or webs each of which defines a corresponding one of the folding lines. Also, one of the portions of the generally flat, generally rigid, unitary member may have a first flat portion, a second flat portion and a stepped parting line interconnecting the first and second flat portions.
Other details, objects, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.